Composite metal wheel.



H. L. LITCHFIELD- & c. E.1 SHIPLE'T.- COMPOSITE METAL WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21.1917. -1,297,973. Patented Mar. 18,1919. 2 EEEE TS EEEEEE I.

HENRY LITCHFIELI) AND CLARENCE E. SHIPLET, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO THE LITGHFIELD MANUFACTURING RATION OF IOWA.

COMPOSITE METAL WHEEL.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed July 27, 1917. Serial No. 183,054.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY L. Lrrorrclare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has for its object to produce a light powerful and durable metal wheel. It relates particularly to spoked wheels and, specifically considered, may be said to have for its object to produce a connection between the hub and the spokes which shall have the'characteristics of integfi'ality while at the same time permitting t e-wheel to possess the advantages of hav ing spokes and a hub made of metal differing in characteristics. i

The various features of novelty whereby the present invention is'characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of the present invention and of its-objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figurel is a sideelevation of a wheel arranged in' accordance with a preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of'the wheel;

Fig. 3 is a section taken in part on line 33 of Fig. 1 and in part on a plane somewhat nearer the axis;

Fig. 4 is a central transverse section on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through the hub end of one of the spokes, on a larger scale than Figs. 4 and 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section taken approximately on line 7--'( of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a rim, preferably of rolled steel, to which the outer ends of spokes, 2, also preferably'of steel, are attached in any suitable way. The

- spokes are arranged in two groups theouter ends of which lie preferably in the same plane, extending at right angles to the axis of the wheel, while the inner or hub ends lie on opposite sides of said plane; and the spokes of the two groups alternating with each other in the circumferential direction.

The inner or hub ends of the spokes are cast into a hub, 3, in such a manner that a permanent rigid union between the spokes and the hub, and a strong and comparatively light hub are obtained". This is accomplished by making the hub in the form of a body member having projecting bosses, 4, surrounding the spoke ends; the bosses being connected by diagonal ribs or braces, 5, by means of which each boss is connected to the two nearest bosses in the opposite group.

Each spoke is so fashioned at its inner end that therewill be an effective mechanical interlocking-between it and the metal of the hub in a direction to prevent separation in i the radial direction. Furthermore, the inner end of each spoke is preferably so shaped that there will be a fusion of the metal when the hub is cast in place, resulting in an actual union of the metal of the spokes and hub as distinguished from a mere mechanical joint. It is desirable that the shaping of the inner ends of the spokes to produce the results sought be such as to leave the cross sectional area substantially unimpaired.

The above ends are accomplished by fiattening out, as indicated at 6, the inner end.

of each spoke so as to enlarge it transversely inone direction without reducing the cross sectional area. The flattened portion of each spoke is cupped or recessed on opposite sides, as indicated at 7, so as to produce in the center a thin web, 8, through which a hole, 9, may be punched. The extreme inner erd of each spoke is preferably left thicker, as indicated at 10, than thethickness of the fiattened portion. Just outwardly from each flattened portion each spoke .is preferably enlarged-or made to bulge somewhat, as indicated at 11, the enlarged portions, 11, registering with thc outer ends of the bosses in which the inner ends of the spokes are seated.

When the spokes are laid in place in the mold for the hub and molten metal is poured into the mold, this metal not only flows into the recesses and through the opening in each spoke but, because of the thin web-like character of the portions surrounding the open ings in the spokes, fusing of this metal occurs so that t ere will be a considerable part of the web'like member of each spoke which forms witlnthe metal of the hub a single seamless structure. 7

It will thusb seen that since the cross sectional area of each spoke is substantially unimpaired at thejoint, it is not weakened in any way; because of the meehanical interlocking of the spokeswith the hub, displacement without first destroying the hub cannot take place; because of the fusing of portions of the metal of the spokes, annion is effected which will prevent gradual loosening of the joint such as might occur if there were only a mechanical interlock; and because of the enlargements in the s okes where they enter the bosses in the hu inereased strength at points where breakage would be most apt to occur, is secured.-

While there is illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of this invention, it is not desired that this invention be limited to the exacts tructural details th'us illustreted'and described; but it is intended to cover all forms and arrangements which come Within the terms of the present invention constituting the appended claims.

Claims: y

1. In a Wheel, spokes, and a hub cast about the inner ends of the spokes, the said inner end of each spoke having a part gradually merged into a thin web portion united to the metal of the hub by fusion.

/ 2. In a wheel, spokes, and e hub cast about the inner ends of the spokes, each spoke hawing at its said inner end :1 portion terminating in a Web suiiiciently thin to have become fused by the molten hub metal.

3. In a wheel, spokes, and a hub east about the inner ends of the spokes, the inner end of each spoke being gradually reduced to a perforated thin web portion through which the metal of the hub extends and to which it is united by fusion.

4. In a wheehspokes, end a hub cast about the inner ends of the spokes, each spoke hav- 6. In a wheel, metal spokes having their inner ends flattened and recessed to produce a thin web reinforced by adjacent portions of thicker metal, said web being perforated, and a hub cast around the flattened and recessed parts of the spokes, the metal of the hub extending through the web and fused to those portions of the web surrounding the letter portions of the hub metal,

7. In a wheel, spokes havin theininner ends flattened, the flattened ent s being provided with opposed depressions in the two,

fiat faces thereof to produce it thin central web portion, each thin web portion being pen forated, and a hub cast around and through the flattened inner ends of the spokes,

8. In a wheel, spokes havin their inner ends flattened, the flattened ends being pro-- vided with opposed depressions in the two fiutfaces thereof to produces thin central web portion, each thin web portion having e large opening extending through the same, and a hub oust around end through the fist tened inner ends of the spokes and fused to those parts of the webs surrounding the openings therein.

9. In a wheel, spokes each of which is fiattened in proximity to its inner end to pro duce a thin web portion and adjacent portions of thicker mete having a combined cross-sectional area equal to that at the spoke, each web bein perforated, e hub east about and through t 1e inner ends of the spokes and the flattened A ortions thereof, and each spoke having an en ergement or beige at the point i e hub,

where it meets t a whereof we this speci- In testimony 

